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Chapter 24
IwasremindedoftheancientlittleorganinthechapelatFinch’sLanding.WhenIwasverysmall,andifIhadbeenverygoodduringtheday,Atticuswouldletmepumpitsbellowswhilehepickedoutatunewithonefinger.Thelastnotewouldlingeraslongastherewasairtosustainit.Mrs.Merriweatherhadrunoutofair,Ijudged,andwasreplenishinghersupplywhileMrs.Farrowcomposedherselftospeak.
Mrs.Farrowwasasplendidlybuiltwomanwithpaleeyesandnarrowfeet.Shehadafreshpermanentwave,andherhairwasamassoftightgrayringlets.ShewasthesecondmostdevoutladyinMaycomb.Shehadacurioushabitofprefacingeverythingshesaidwithasoftsibilantsound.
"S-s-sGrace,"shesaid,"it’sjustlikeIwastellingBrotherHutsontheotherday.‘S-s-sBrotherHutson,’Isaid,‘lookslikewe’refightingalosingbattle,alosingbattle.’Isaid,‘S-s-sitdoesn’tmatterto‘emonebit.Wecaneducate‘emtillwe’reblueintheface,wecantrytillwedroptomakeChristiansoutof‘em,butthere’snoladysafeinherbedthesenights.’Hesaidtome,‘Mrs.Farrow,Idon’tknowwhatwe’recomingtodownhere.’S-s-sItoldhimthatwascertainlyafact."
Mrs.Merriweathernoddedwisely.Hervoicesoaredovertheclinkofcoffeecupsandthesoftbovinesoundsoftheladiesmunchingtheirdainties."Gertrude,"shesaid,"Itellyoutherearesomegoodbutmisguidedpeopleinthistown.Good,butmisguided.Folksinthistownwhothinkthey’redoingright,Imean.
